Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Labour and Employment's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1351 regarding the unemployment rate in India. It states that the unemployment rate has decreased from 4.8% in 2019-20 to 3.2% in 2023-24. The document outlines various government schemes and initiatives aimed at employment generation and improving employability.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Unemployment Rate:**
* The unemployment rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above has decreased from 4.8% in 2019-20 to 3.2% in 2023-24.
* Data is collected through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.
* **Government Initiatives for Employment Generation:**
* The government prioritizes employment generation and improving employability.
* Various schemes are being implemented, including:
* Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
* Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
* Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)
* Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)
* Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs)
* Stand-Up India
* Startup India
* Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)
* PM Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)
* Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)
* **Other Government Efforts:**
* The Union Cabinet has approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme.
* Ministries/Departments have been directed to fill vacant posts in a time-bound manner.
* The National Career Service (NCS) Portal (www.ncs.gov.in) offers career-related services.
* Over 6.2 crore vacancies have been mobilized on the NCS Portal as of 30.06.2025.
Impact Analysis:
* **Job Seekers:**
* Impact: Benefit from decreased unemployment rate and increased employment opportunities.
* Action Required: Utilize the NCS portal and available government schemes to find suitable employment and skilling opportunities.
* **Government Departments/Ministries:**
* Impact: Required to contribute to employment generation and fill vacant positions.
* Action Required: Adhere to directives to fill vacant posts in a time-bound manner and participate in employment generation schemes.
* **Ministry of Labour and Employment:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and overseeing employment generation schemes and maintaining the NCS portal.
* Action Required: Continue to monitor the unemployment rate, promote the NCS portal, and effectively implement employment generation schemes.
* **Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation:**
* Impact: Responsible for providing data on employment and unemployment through the PLFS.
* Action Required: Continue conducting the PLFS to provide timely and accurate data on employment trends.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labour and employment policies and regulations.
Periodic Labour Force Survey PLFS: A survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to collect data on employment and unemployment.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation MoSPI: The Indian government ministry responsible for statistical data collection and analysis.
Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme PMEGP: A government scheme aimed at generating employment opportunities through entrepreneurship.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGS: An Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihoods Mission DAYNRLM: A poverty reduction program implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development in India.
Employment Linked Incentive ELI Scheme: A government scheme to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors.
National Career Service NCS Portal: A digital platform run by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to provide career-related services.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1351
TO BE ANSWERED ON 28th JULY, 2025
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
1351. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH OLA:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the unemployment rate has increased at the national level
during the last five years;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the current unemployment rate
at the national level;
(c) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to reduce
unemployment; and
(d) the details of the number of permanent jobs provided by the
various Government departments during the last five years and the
current year and department-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The data on Employment and Unemployment is collected
through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which is conducted by the
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since
2017-18.
As per the latest available Annual PLFS reports, the estimated
Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years
and above has decreased from 4.8% in 2019-20 to 3.2% in 2023-24.
Employment generation coupled with improving employability is
a priority of the Government. Accordingly, Government is implementing
various employment generation schemes/ programmes. These inter-alia
include Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP),
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods
Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
(DDU-GKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs),Stand-Up India, Startup India, Deen Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-
National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), PM Street Vendor’s
AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY),
etc. The details of various employment generation schemes/programmes
being implemented by the Government may be seen at
https://dge.gov.in/dge/schemes_programmes.
In addition, the Union Cabinet has approved the Employment
Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation,
enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with
special focus on the manufacturing sector.
Occurrence and filling up of vacant posts in various
Ministries/Departments is a continuous process. Ministries/ Departments
of the Central Government have been directed, from time to time, to fill
up vacant posts in a time bound manner.
Further, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of
India, is running the National Career Service (NCS) Portal which is a one-
stop solution for providing career related services including jobs from
private and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs,
job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance,
information on skill development courses, skill/training programmes etc.
through a digital platform [www.ncs.gov.in]. As on 30.06.2025, more than
6.2 crore (which inter-alia include Government, Private and Public Sector
Undertaking) vacancies have been mobilised on NCS Portal.
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